Israeli Tree Planted in U.S. Army Base; Church Bells Play Israeli Tune

February 11, 1958

WASHINGTON (Feb. 10)

The church bells at the main chapel of the huge U.S. army base at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, today played an Israeli tune as a Cyprus tree flown from Israel was planted near the synagogue for Jewish soldiers.

The bells played the tune, “Tu Beshvat Higiya.” Maj. Gen. David H. Tulley, Commanding General, accepted the Israeli tree from Israel Embassy Minister Yaacov Herzog. The tree was blessed by Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish military chaplains.

Jewish personnel on the base had asked Israel to send the tree in connection with the new year of the trees. Fort Belvoir is the headquarters of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.